Assembly jig



Au 31, 1943- v w. A. WEIGHTMAN 2,328,040

ASSEMBLY JIG Filed April 8, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BY ,/W

' ATTORNEY Aug. 3l, 1943. w. A. WEIGHTMAN 2,328,040

V ASSEMBLY JIG Filed April 8, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 l." x l v I l l i f2? 4 Ill l 67 im IF 55 u! i 59 n 1 l nazfuu WHL v INVENTOR WZ'ZZL'amJZ Wzrghman/ AITQRNEY `thejjlg il'ifllg.` 1^;;, n l i i ghi-.'Figt 3 `is `a,fragmentary sideelevational view, on an yenlarged scale, oiga; portion ofthe jig; and

` Usidethereofm i 1 melius. Tand `8 .v landlclampingmeans employed; andi` Patented Aug.` 31, 71943,

g ,UNITED P.1 .'r1s1\11"..,` orne p y `2,32s,o4oy ASSEMBLY JIG n' DI l f l-` Weighfman, Philadelphia, "Pam sa 5 U ,"Sisnor `to `Edward G. Budd Manufacturing' Comllnyfflhildelphia, Pa., a. `corporm-,ion of l *Pennsylvania-f.

I application npriifaimrseriaiNo. :'z,4:-1f`

s claims.

bly of long verticaltruss structures, such, as the side trussframes of rail car or like vehicle bodies. 1 It isamongthe objects of `theinventionto provide a jigV of ythis `class whichisgofjexible construction so thatitcan be quickly set up or adjusted` to the particular "work tobe assembled thereon, to provide a jigpwhich `is of ppenycon struction to make the work mountedvthereon Mreadily accessible for spot-welding or othertools usediV in the assembly of the Work, to` provide a `jigwhich requires a minimum of change to enableit' to besetgup for different forms of truss structures, ,such as trussA structures of different lengths; 1 heights and in which the members forming the trussaredifferently spacedfrom each other, and to adaptt to truss structuresof different camber. Another object of `the invention is the provision of `ajig which `may be utilized for simultaneously ,assemblingl 1 truss structures i onopposite lsides thereoLAso'v that the number of X `jigs for a, given productionmaybe halved and 1 lessfloor space occupiedfor theassembly operations.4 w 5 1 i. i i `These and other objects and `advantages Aare p attained by the jig structures described in `detail in the followingspecication" and indicated in `thedmvings forming apart hereof,` andin whichi y i ,i Fig 1 `is a side elevational viewofthejig, show- ,y ,y ,y v letzt-ssi The invention'` relates Itoanl assembly-jig, and

` Enig, `1o is, a fragmentary detail `of the ciamp `moreparticularly to a jig adapted forth@ assemshown in l Fig. 9, :fin an` inoperative position. ,l

As shown in Figs.) and 2, thejig hasbeen set i up for the assemblyof la. rail car sideiframe truss n `formed out `of`drav'1-rolled ondieformed ilat strip stock and joined ltogetherin thejigfby` spot-` welding or `the like. l l l The main membersof the truss may comprise the vertical longitudinally spaced posts lIILVatop chord II, anintermediate chord llocated be- `107W` the windowopenings and a bottom `chord I3 forming a strong side sill in the nallassembly of the body, and diagonalsfl 14" connectedy to `the chords and postslon bothsidesof the trus'sby gussets I5. Intermediate the' `'p'ostsQforming the sides of the Windowiopenings, maybe; arranged additional short posts IIi'interconnecting the iiitermediate'and bottom ychords"through the adjacent diagonals.` A Y As shown most clearly in Fig. `2, the top chord outerflanged" chanfnel molding strip I9' secured iii-ing anassernbled side frametruss `for rail` cars iny place thereon; c

` Fig. 2` is a fragmentary perspective `vieu'ron"an enlarged scale, parts being shown in section, of a side frame truss such as is shown in position on jwork as showninlFig. 1; H Fig.` 4` is a. fragmentary perspective view of ,a

portionnoftheyjig per se,; anden a greatly enlarged scale; l i l uFlg; `5 is -a fragmentaryside elevationaliview on approximately. the same scale as Fig, "1:,1shojw-` .ing `a single upright column; i

\ ilocatingandrsecuring ymeans utilized in ,theqjig';

gym-Fig., 19t is afdetail. :sectional fplanvyview through `an end colummfshowing another type; curing to the outerfaces ofthe posts, and an innerjflat strip 20 Welded to theirinner faces,strips I9 and V20 being closed to box-sectionbetween the posts by upper and lower channelsZI and ZZbridging he space between the anges on strip I9 and the"` stripZUandspot-Welded to each.

`Thel bottom chord, I3 may be` a compositie double-box-sectionstructure comprising a verticallydeep flat strip 23 welded 'tothe inner" faces `of theposts, an outerI anged channel moulding strip "24 corresponding 'tdstrip I9, and welded 'to the outer facesv ofthe posts. l These two "strips 23` and 24 are joined'jtogetherbetween(posts by channels as 25 bridging thefspa'cerbetween the 7top flange of channel `24 `and strip1f23, and` by p angles, as 26, havingtheirvertical arms secured to thebottom flange of channelfu and` their l `horizontal arms,extendedinwardly"beyondthe bottom margin of strip`23and secured thereto indirectly, as Willnow be described. lTo the inner face ofthe strip 23 and forming la box-section "therewith, are secured a generally Z-section strip Y l 21 anda generally an'gularsectionfstripj28,'these strips being spot-welded to'strip 23 throughjtheir `verticalouter arms and vsecured together `along their innerrnarginsmjlhe strip 28 has thmarableon the rod.

may be employed to secure the post in place, particularly where the post is of the Z-section shown in that iig-ure.

As shown in Fig. 9, a diierent form of clamp may be employed to clamp the end posts in place. The clamp there shown is a usual form i of toggle clamp 13, which can` be swung away `ing the rods 55 `and the work is ilexible and i supported at intervals only by adjustable screws I5 passing through `lugs 1S, see Fig. 4, extending laterally from the bottom rail 35. By adjusting these screws individually, the ilexible bar, and consequently the work, may be given any desired camber during assembly. The screws 15 may be provided with lock nuts, as 11, to secure them i in adjusted position.

An important feature of thejig is the provision `of work-supporting `means on both sides of the jig, so that twotruss structuresmay be i simultaneously assembled on. the same jig'.` "Io,

this end, the work-supporting means hereinbeforedescribed in connection with one lateral face of the columns, may be duplicated in symmetrij cal arrangement on the opposite face of the jig, was clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6 of the drawings.` Thus the jig canbe simultaneously used by two sets of workmen Aon opposite sides thereof, working on' separate workpieces. This is particularly true where the work is symmetrical about acentralvvertical transverse plane.

While the jig has been herein described as` set up for a particular class of work, it will be` `understood that many features thereof 'are applicable to Work of diiierent classes, its flexi- "bility enabling it to be quickly set up to accommodate the work at hand, without departing frornthe main features thereof. In the` claims following, such modiilcations as would still maintain its` main features 'are intended to be protected.

W'hat is claimed is: 1`. `A jig `oi? the class described, comprising longitudinally spaced vertical columns arranged in ya common plane, each column `having secured .e `to at least one side thereof vertically spaced bearing brackets, a rod guided for vertical movement in said brackets, said rod carrying positioning and supporting means for thework, said last-named means being longitudinally adjust- 2. `A jig of the class described,` comprising longitudinally spaced vertical` columns arranged in acommon planeeach column having secured to at least one side thereof vertically spaced brackets, a rod carrying positioning and supporting means for the work and guided for vertical movement in said brackets, and means for adjusting the vertical position oi' said rod.

3. A jig of the class described, comprising longitudinally spaced vertical columns arranged in a common plane, each column having secured to at least one side thereof vertically spaced brackets, a rod supported in saidbrackets, said rod carrying positioning and supporting` means'for the work, and additional positioning and supporting. means for the work directly secured to said column.

4. A jig of the class described, comprising base.`

and top rails 'and spaced uprightcolumns secured to said rails, each of said columns having associated therewith a verticallyslidable rod carrying locating and securing means Vfor the work, a longitudinally extending `flexible member commonly engaging the lower ends of all of said rods, and means `supporting said member from the base rail at` longitudinally spaced points, said means being individually adjustable at said points to raise or lower the portion oft the member supported thereby whereby to vary r the contour of the member lengthwiseof the jig. l

5. A jig of the class described, having spaced f aligned vertically arranged work-supporting members, each mounted to slide` vertically in a support, a flexible bar underlying and supporting each of said members, and longitudinally spaced independently adjustable means for locally raising or lowering the bar whereby to`` vary its contour and the members.

6. In an assembly jig, a rail and a plurality of vertical position of said columns, cooperating means on said rail and,`

said columns for supporting and guiding said columns on and along said rail, means on said columns for supporting the members of a structure to be assembled, elongated meanssubstantially coextensive with and arranged along said rail, and individual driving means mounted on said columns and each adapted to operatively engage said elongated means` for moving said columns individually to any desired position along said rail.

7. A jig of the class described, comprising longitudinally spaced vertical columns arranged in alignment and each having one side substantially in a common plane so as to outline a jig surf-ace, each column carrying on said side a rod, means guiding each rodon its column for vertical movement, work supporting and securl ing means on each rod, a longitudinally extending flexible bar extending across all of the rods, each rod being associated withsaid bar for par- -taking in the movement thereof, adjusting means spaced along the length ofthe bar for varying l the height of the bar at the desired locations so as to vary the vertical relative position of said rods at different points in the length of the bar and thereby to derive the desired camber of i the work engaging means.

8.'In an assemblyjig according to claim 6 in which said elongated means comprises a rack and said individual driving means comprises a pinion meshing withsaid rack, and having means for rotating it.

WILLIAM A. WEIGHTMAN. 

